Find Vital Records Instantly!

First Name

Last Name (Required)

State

Record Type:
All Vital Records
Birth
Death
Marriage
Divorce

Rick Santorum

Full Name: Richard John SantorumAge: 53Birthplace: Winchester, VirginiaParty: Republican Previous Political Experience: Member of U.S. House of Representatives - Pennsylvania's 18th District (1991-1995; United States Senator from Pennsylvania (1995-2007)Current Job: Republican Candidate for President of the United StatesMajor Platforms: Pro-Life, supported the "Born Alive Infant Protection Act" and the "Unborn Victims of Violence Act"; Created the "Program to Protect America's Freedom" to identify and heighten awareness of threats to America; Opponent of both Wall Street bailouts and stimulus package introduced by President Obama

Rick Santorum is a lawyer and former member of the U.S. House of Representatives and United States senator. Santorum is considered a conservative on both a fiscal and conservative level, subscribing to many of the traditional Republican philosophies set forth by other candidates in the party today. Raised by two Catholic parents who worked at the local Veteran's Administration Hospital in his hometown of Butler, Virginia, Santorum spent much of his childhood growing up on the VA Hospital post. Santorum's father became a psychologist in 1974, and his mother worked as a nurse. Santorum graduated from high school and then attended college and law school, which became his profession of choice before heading into the political arena. His Catholic upbringing produced strong pro-family and pro-life values that Santorum carries with him into his political career today. Although Santorum was defeated from his seat in the U.S. Senate in 2007, he continues to work in the political realm in is efforts to get his name on the Republican ticket running against President Barack Obama in 2012. Santorum currently lives in Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, with his wife Karen Garver Santorum and his seven children: Elizabeth, John, Daniel, Sarah Maria, Peter, Patrick and Isabella.

Rick Santorum Family History

There are a number of interesting facts to note about Rick Santorum, including:

Santorum developed a passion for politics at a young age, serving as a volunteer on the campaign for Senator John Heinz while still in college.

During his law career, Santorum represented the World Wrestling Federation in his most notable case involving the use of steroids among professional wrestlers.

Santorum is well known in Washington for his hardcore stance against homosexual rights.

During his tenure as a senator, Santorum worked to counter the threat of radical Islam, the true threat in his eyes rather than terrorism.

In 2005, Santorum wrote a book titled, "It Takes a Family: Conservatism and the Common Good".

Richard John "Rick" Santorum was born in Winchester, Virginia on May 10, 1958. His parents were Aldo Santorum, who was around 35 when Rick was born, and Catherine Keane, who was close to 40 at the time she gave birth to him. Aldo was an Italian immigrant, and Catherine boasted both Irish and Italian descent, with the roots traced back from both sides to Riva de Garda, Italy. Santorum's parents both worked in the medical profession at the local Veteran's Administration Hospital in Butler, Pennsylvania. The family lived on the VA Hospital post, and Santorum attended schools in the Butler School District. However, by the time Santorum was in high school, his parents had transferred to the VA Hospital in Mundelein, Illinois, and this is where Santorum graduated.

After high school, Santorum attended Pennsylvania State University, where he studied political science and joined the Tau Epsilon Phi fraternity. He went on to earn a Master's of Business Administration from the University of Pittsburgh. To pay the expense of law school at the Dickinson School of Law, Santorum worked full-time as an administrative assistant to Republican State Senator Doyle Corman. After graduating from law school, Santorum worked at Kirkpatrick & Lockhart practicing law. It was here that he represented his most notable client, the World Wrestling Federation. It was also during this time that Santorum met his soon-to-be wife, Karen Garver.

It wasn't long before Santorum decided to transition from a career in law to a career in politics. In 1990, Santorum ran as a long-shot for the United States House of Representatives, representing Pennsylvania's 18th congressional District. This area encompassed the suburbs of Pittsburgh where Santorum had been raised, and he knew it well. Santorum defeated his opponent, seven-term Democratic incumbent DougWalgren, much to the surprise of many political experts. During that time, Santorum became a member of the "Gang of Seven," a group of GOP lawmakers that made it their goal to attack the Democratic-controlled House with a focus on the House banking scandal at the time.

Seen as a rising star in the Republican Party, Santorum next turned his sights on the United States Senate. Santorum was able to secure a senate seat in 1994 at the age of 36, once again knocking out an incumbent to take the position. During his terms in the senate, Santorum served on the Senate Armed Services Committee and became Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference. Although Santorum lost his senate seat in 2007 to Democratic challenger Bob Casey Jr., Santorum continues to champion for the causes he is committed to, even while running his candidacy for President of the United States.

Find Records Now for Free

Start your free trial today to learn more about your ancestors using our powerful and intuitive search. Cancel any time, no strings attached.